Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-12-08
On Voyage.
by DR.. F. B. Robinson.l

on salt water Emotions are active and
tears are trickling down sorrowful look
ind faces. Here and there can be seen
the partings of dear friends with fear
full hopes that they will never meet
again. Fathers, mothers and children,
saying good bye. Lovers whose fresh
young friendships separation is Like
the setting of a great sun,-hopeless,
cherries, lonely. The ties of friend
ship are stronger than hooks Of steel.
But one having no wife or children to
present to posterity can not enter fully
this field of feelings and emotions and
must stand out side like one watching
play on the stage of human affairs.
How deeply wrought are the actors IL
this drama. Children seem to make
mems hearts too big for their bodies.
Life does not seem long enough for
their friendship. See how far beyond
estrangement extends the ineffable soul
of friendship. But actions progress
with precision The "All aboard" is
said, the great ship is loosed and moves
off amid shouts and waving Of handker-
chiefs and flowing tears. The stroke OF
the heavy piston makes the mighty
ship culver as it glides over the waters
and careeres on it's way. Down New
York Bay by the noble statue of liberty
of Bartholdi which points towards the
canopy of the blue sky like the Pharos
of old Alexandria We are now in mid
ocean sailing about 10 miles an hour or
800 miles daily. On board of ship is
limited and peculiar world. The mind
is retrospective and memory strong.
First there is motley collection ofpeo-
pie from every nation under the sun,
but all other object being cut off they
must get acquainted and interest each
other. Love scenes are common in linn
tied scenery and lonely times. Two
real cases have occurred on this voyage.
Ole and Lena fell violently in love the
second day to the great amusement of
the whole ship. There was no secret
with them. Their manifestations were
pronounced. The physical element
predominated in both and their endear-
ments were communicated to each
other by very close sitting and gentle
and tender squeezes. They enjoyed
themselves hughly. In the higher scale
of life another loye scene has occurred.
Mr.. A. a fine, intelligent, handsome
gentleman and Miss b. pretty blonde
lady with elegant cornage, graceful
bearing dark brown hair reaching below
the knees, fell naturally in love, but
how different from Ole and Lena. With
this high couple love is weakness born
of dependence on another and must not
be shown They meet by ACCIDENT on
every corner each is intensely interest
ed in the other but for society's sake
must talk off hand and Indifferent.
Each studies how to cover up the pas
sion which moves both to the bottom OF
the heart. Each is afraid that some
strange one may see the manifestation
of the most sacred and deepest passion
in the soul. They are not as honest as
Ole and Lena, but this is because the
public deficient thing laughs at that,
which in private men consider the most
sacred Most of the passengers are sea-
sick. This sickness ouses from the
brain 1t effects the nerve coming from
the brain called the Pneumogastrlc.
This nerve sends branches to the stom-
ach, heart and lungs. Seasickness eff
fects each of these organs. 1t is due to
the slowness and length of the swing of
the pendulum. 1t is curious clrcum-
stance that the same motion that rocks
the child into peaceful slumber or looks
so pleasant In tossing pleasure boat,
on ship board owing to the length ofthe
swing and slowness of the pendulum,
makes the strongest man sick and gives
great suffering generally with out dan
GER All this long and dreary voyage.
Oh this sick anxious voyage. We are
now on the Banks of newfoundland,
1000 miles from New York and 1000
from Liverpool The banks where we
cross are about 200 miles wide. Birds
are flying and smacks are seen. The
passengers are LIST, I'd and Sd class with
distinct apartments and separate table.
Also each are given SO much deck to
walk on. The ship burns some 250tons
of coal a day, is 500 feet long, 90 feet
wide and 80 feet deep. The propeller
wheel is a feet in diameter and the
shaft which drives it is $50 feet long.
The fans of the wheel are made of steel.
Should we strike rock or object the
ship would 90 down in five minutes,
but the average depth of the ocean be-
tween go degrees north and south is 3
miles. The estimated danger to life on
railroads is 800 times as dangerous as on
ships All objects are hailed with de-
light. Thousands of porpoises can be
seen and some four whales appeared to
delight the passengers as they rolled
their huge bodies so lazily in the soft
waters. But generally all that can be
seen water, sky, sun, stars, and moon,